A district level project ‘Axshaya’, the global fund to fight for AIDS, TB and malaria and Round- 9 was formally launched at Tuensang district by Thanghoi, deputy CMO Tuensang at district TB Centre. Explaining on Government of India’s aim to eradicate TB epidemic by 2015, basing on Millennium Development Goals, Thanghoi said NGOs, civil societies and Churches must involve in controlling and preventing TB from the grass root level. With Tuensang district registered as one of the highest TB prevalent districts in the state, amid 700 above TB patients, he felt that district TB Hospital should be upgraded with basic health facilities for TB patients since the number of patients flow is increasing. He also expressed that the government should address the issues on lack of basic amenities with modern laboratories and technicians. He said the government should give priority to development of health and education systems. He also acknowledged the Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI) in collaboration with Development Association of Nagaland (DAN) and RNTCP for bringing up TB project to be implemented in the district, and felt the project would be of help to the RNTCP programme.Briefing on “Axshaya” TB project, Kyupise Sangtam, district coordinator, CHAI said the project was a global fund to fight againt TB, AIDS and Malaria- Round 9 program mainly focusing on advocacy, communication and social mobilization(ACSM). India bears 21% of the global burden of TB cases and has the highest estimated incidence of Multi Drug Resistant-TB cases (MDR-TB) with 2 deaths every three minutes, 1000 deaths a day and 370,000 deaths due to TB each year in India, he said. Stating the programme has a well defined ACSM strategy, he said continuous efforts were made in building the capacity of the states for need based planning of ACSM activities. He believed addressing these challenges required a concerted response from the government and civil societies as the project has overall strategy of the Global Fund Round 9 proposal having three Principal Recipients viz Central TB Division (CTD) (Government of India - GoI), and a partnership of 16 NGOs organized under 2 civil society Principle Recipients (the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, or ‘The Union’, and World Vision India). Linghomong, Statistical Assistant, RNTCP also spoke at the function and assured cooperation to CHAI and involvement to reach the MDGs goal by 2015. The launching program was attended by CMO staff, RNTCP, ICTC, ART Centre, NRHM, DAPCU, DLN and Peace Channel.Mon: Project “AXSHAYA”, a tuberculosis (TB) project undertaken by the Catholic HEALTH Association of India (CHAI) funded by GFATM-RD9 was formally launched at Mon district by chief medical officer, Dr. T. Kikon. The program was graced by the presence of health staff from NRHM, DAPCU, ICTC and NGOs working on TB and HIV-AIDS.Dr. Imyangluba Ao (DTO, Mon) expressed contentment that the intervention of CHAI in Mon district to work on TB care and control will definitely increase case detection and cure rate with the implementation of their schemes like sputum collection and transport, retrieval of initial defaulters and many other sensitization and training programs. Peter Patton (DCO, Mon) briefed about the project and sought for cooperation and support from both ends for proper implementation and success of project “Axshaya”, as the primary objective of the project being enhancing the reach and visibility of RNTCP through civil society involvement and support’.